CINCINNATI — In a competitive game on Tuesday night, the Cincinnati Bearcats narrowly defeated the Baylor Bears 69-67, bolstering their case for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Leading Cincinnati was Jizzle James, who scored 18 points, with strong support from Dillon Mitchell, who contributed 13 points.
Josh Reed and Day Day Thomas also played pivotal roles for the Bearcats, scoring 11 and 10 points respectively. The victory marked Cincinnati’s fifth win in seven games, improving their season record to 17-11 overall and 7-10 in the Big 12.
Baylor, struggling with a three-game losing streak, saw their NCAA hopes dim as they dropped to 16-12 overall and 8-9 in the conference. VJ Edgecombe led the Bears with 18 points, and Norchad Omier recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The game concluded with a tense final six seconds where Edgecombe’s attempt to tie the game missed. A scramble for possession ensued between Omier and Thomas, resulting in Cincinnati gaining the possession arrow. Under pressure, Edgecombe fouled Mitchell on the inbound play, allowing Mitchell a trip to the free-throw line with just 1.2 seconds remaining.
Though Mitchell missed his shot, Aziz Bandaogo made a crucial play by tapping the ball away as the clock wound down, ensuring Cincinnati’s victory. Earlier in the game, Cincinnati turned an early 22-17 deficit into a 35-24 lead thanks to an 18-2 run before halftime. However, Baylor used the first half of the second period to close the gap.
The Bears managed to close within two points at 50-48 after a 3-pointer from Jalen Celestine. Edgecombe nailed three consecutive 3-pointers, briefly giving Baylor a 57-56 advantage. Cincinnati responded, and Bandaogo’s tip-in allowed the Bearcats to regain a lead they would not relinquish.
Looking forward, Baylor will host Oklahoma State on Saturday, while Cincinnati hits the road to face top-ranked Houston.
